Technical Issues and Questions

[Michael Kerpan]

Are there any widely available (i.e. not pricy imports) LCD or plasma TV models that can handle both native NTSC and native PAL input?

[swo17]

When I was looking to go region-free, I considered going through this site. However, if you only want to be able to play discs from any format or region in the comfort of your home in the USA, it is my understanding that all you need is a player that is able to handle multiple regions or PAL/NTSC. You should only need a multisystem TV if you want to be able to fully use your TV in other countries. I'm not the expert on this though--I'm sure I got this information from someone else many pages ago in this very thread.

[Michael Kerpan]

When I was looking to go region-free, I considered going through this site.

This is the kind of place with pricey (often somewhat out-of-date) imports I was talking about.

I was wondering whether any domestic models of new technology TVs in the US actually had PAL playback capacity (not reception) built in (even if not announced).

[kinjitsu]

I don't believe there are, Michael, not unless they've been modified. Am curious to know why you ask.

Do any of these results meet your qualifications?

[domino harvey]

Didn't someone on this board know of an American TV that had native PAL playback because he had accidentally bought one and that's how he knew?

[Michael Kerpan]

I don't believe there are, Michael, not unless they've been modified. Am curious to know why you ask.

Do any of these results meet your qualifications?

Thanks -- but nothing much of interest there. ;~{

Since modern multi-sync computer monitors can handle virtually any signal sent to them (within certain tolerances) and many non-US model TVs can handle both NTSC and PAL signals, why are US TVs "crippled"?

What I was hoping is that some regular US models of major international brands slipped in with PAL ability not left out. ;~}

[fiddlesticks]

I have a Sceptre 20" LCD 720p (model X20SV-Naga) that I bought two or three years ago, and it accepts both native NTSC and native PAL (which my Oppo outputs). I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, being so small and not being 1080p (and since it's so old, it may not even be available anymore), but you might want to check with what Sceptre has to offer these days.

EDIT: This subject came up in the All-Region Player Advice thread, beginning about here; it may be helpful to review this discussion.

[oldsheperd]

A source I know who's worked with all the BD players did NOT recommend the Samsungs, and said I'd be better off with a Panny.

I got the Samsung BD-P1500. It's a pretty good player. Lately it takes a couple tries to get the discs to read. Apparently I have to wait for the Samsung screen to appear on the tv before loading a disc. I guess it's like trying to open a program when you first turn your computer on. It takes longer.

[kinjitsu]

A source I know who's worked with all the BD players did NOT recommend the Samsungs

Worked with? Can you elaborate why?

I got the Samsung BD-P1500. It's a pretty good player. Lately it takes a couple tries to get the discs to read.

Don't be alarmed, oldsheperd, most BD players, including the BD-P1500, tend to take a few moments to load, so it's nothing unusual. I've only had problems loading old, scratched or smudged discs on first try, but that might happen with any player.

[Antoine Doinel]

A source I know who's worked with all the BD players did NOT recommend the Samsungs, and said I'd be better off with a Panny.

I got the Samsung BD-P1500. It's a pretty good player. Lately it takes a couple tries to get the discs to read. Apparently I have to wait for the Samsung screen to appear on the tv before loading a disc. I guess it's like trying to open a program when you first turn your computer on. It takes longer.

I have the same player and the "long" load time is normal.

[unclehulot]

Are there any widely available (i.e. not pricy imports) LCD or plasma TV models that can handle both native NTSC and native PAL input?

Olevia LCD sets seem to accept PAL as PAL in the models I've worked with, and I think it's worth having that option if you have many PAL discs and an Oppo player. For me, it is much better than when the Oppo (980) internally converts PAL to NTSC, which retains a herky, jerky quality. There may be other sets that do this, but I know, for instance that Sony Bravia sets do not display native PAL. Perhaps there are better options out there, but for less than $1000 you can get a "42 1080P model.

[bradass]

My library has VCDs of Hou's "A City of Sadness" and "The Puppetmaster." If these don't have English subtitles (and I doubt they do), where would one look for custom subtitles and how do you put the two together? Thank you for any help.

[nsps]

A source I know who's worked with all the BD players did NOT recommend the Samsungs

Worked with? Can you elaborate why?

Apparently a lot more of the Samsungs died. In fairness to Samsung, the players get a much more strenuous workout there that a normal home machine, and, as I mentioned on the Amazon or bargains thread, the newer models have apparently been more reliable. With the exception of the PS3, the Sony's weren't getting high marks for playback either. I think you could probably do a lot worse than the Samsungs, but I just thought I'd pass along the advice.

I guess this question was moved from the Amazon thread, which explains why I only just now noticed it. Sorry for taking so long to respond.

... and an explanation of the stretching methods here.

My favorite part was where they explained that 1.33 images would be stretched "with no picture distortion" and then showed a picture where the image was CLEARLY distorted.

Also, 60% of blu-rays are 2.35:1? I have no idea, I just didn't think it was that high.

My favorite part is…

… support the 2.39:1 (NOTE: huh?) movie format. That means no more annoying black bars on this ultra widescreen TV. No picture loss. Just movies the way the director wanted you to see them.

Uh, unless the director made the film in any apect ratio other than 2.39:1.

[David M.]

But my PAL discs varyingly will every now and then have a jump in the action as though some gframes have been cut from the film. Would that occur on a PAL DVD player also?

No. DVD players will perform poor quality standards conversion with the artefacts that you've just described.

For people wanting a TV/monitor that supports native 50hz signals, check out the Pioneer ELITE models while you still can. Very expensive, but worth every penny: set up correctly, they have just about perfect Grayscale tracking and the color and gamma are bang-on standard, unlike most consumer displays.

[kaujot]

I still own a fairly shitty CRT television, and unfortunately I know next to nothing about HD televisions, so I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion for a large, good, but fairly cheap HDTV. I'd like to upgrade from watching all my movies on my computer monitor.

[mikkelmark]

I still own a fairly shitty CRT television, and unfortunately I know next to nothing about HD televisions, so I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion for a large, good, but fairly cheap HDTV. I'd like to upgrade from watching all my movies on my computer monitor.

Maybe consider the Panasonic x10, shouldn't be too expensive. Only negative thing is that it's not full hd.

[Antoine Doinel]

If you're going to be investing in an HD set, there's no reason why you shouldn't be going full HD (1080p). Be wary of cheaper sets boasting HD, and selling at an unbelievable price. More often than not, they are 720p sets.

[kinjitsu]

I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion for a large, good, but fairly cheap HDTV.

I agree with Antoine, so if you're looking for an LCD HDTV 1080p, then you might want to tell us what size you want and what fits your budget.

[kaujot]

Well, whilst not completely impoverished, it is going to take me awhile to save up the dough to get even a decent set. $1500 is probably my top limit, if I'm going to get full 1080p. And size isn't too much of a thing. I don't need some huge screen or anything like that, but I'd like at least 34-inches.

[kinjitsu]

34-inch WS is small. Think 40-42.

[kaujot]

Works for me. I mentioned 34 because I'm pretty sure that's what my old roommate had and it seemed fine. This was about three years ago or so.

[Paul Moran]

I bought one of the Beaver-recommended Momitsu all-regions Blu-ray players last month.

It has the standard "resume" function:

- press "stop" once to exit playback; press "play" to resume playback from the exit point;

- press "stop" twice to finish playback completely ("fullstop" mode); disc restarts from main menu.

This works fine on DVDs (I've tried it with R1, R2, R3 and R4 discs) and on my two Region B Blu-rays, but not on my two Criterion Blu-rays (400 Blows and Seventh Seal). Pressing "stop" once puts the Criterion discs into "fullstop" mode. Very annoying, as I hardly ever manage to watch a film all the way through without getting up for a cup of tea, etc.

Have any other Momitsu owners noticed this problem with the "resume" function on Criterion Blu-rays?

[kinjitsu]

Just forward thinking, kaujot. You shouldn't have any problems finding something suitable for $1500 or under.

[Michael Kerpan]

We bought Samsung's new 50 inch plasma (PN50B650) for $1399 (on sale at BestBuy a few weeks ago). We have been very pleased so far. I would say 34 inches would be too small -- we are glad we got something a bit bigger than the 42 inche range we planned on initially)

[kinjitsu]

Bravo Michael! Congratulations & happy viewing!

Cue kaujot.